Cabinet-file



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

A. J. WELLS.

CABINET FILE.

No. 578,796'. Patented Mar. 16, 18.97.

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ATToRNE-Ys,

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sneez 2. A A.- J. WELLS.

CABINET FILE.

No. 578,796. Patented Mar, 16,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. WELLS, OF SYRACUSE, NEV YORK.

CABINET-FI LE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 578,796, dated March 1,6, 1897. Application filed November 26, 1894. Serial No. 530,022. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. WELLS, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cabinet Files, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved iilecabinet of somewhat similar construction to the file-case set forth in my application, Serial No. 530,023, and has for its object the production of a practical and simple device for receiving, filing, and eifectively supporting letters, circulars, books, and other matter; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the construction and arrangement of the component parts of the file-cabinet, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims, which include nothing covered by the claims of said concurrent pending application.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views. p

Figure l is an elevation of my tile-cabinet,

its movable doors or covers being shown asV open and one of the folding shelves being illustrated in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. l, the doors or covers being shown as closed. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged vertical sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3 3 and 4 4, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a horizontal detail sectional view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical detail sectional view taken on line 6 6, Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is an isometric view of one of the plates or strips for forming the supporting shoulders for the engaging portions of the normally-fixed adjustable partitions.

In my aforesaid application, Serial No. 530,023, I have shown a file-case consisting of an inclosing case having its base or bottom wall provided with an upwardly-extending shoulder formed with supporting-shoulders at its outer edge and its rear wall provided with a rib or bar arranged above said upwardly-extending shoulder and also formed with supporting-shoulders, and a series of normally-fixed partitions removably engaged by said supporting-shoulders.

My present invention consists of a tile-cabinet comprising an inclosing case adapted to be mounted upon a liooror other similar support, a series of shelves arranged one above the other within the case and formed with supporting -shoulders at their outer edges, ribs or bars arranged above the shelves in proximity to the rear wall of the case and provided with supporting-shoulders, and normally-xed adjustable partitions having engaging portions arranged one above and in advance of the other and engaged with said shoulders, so as to assist in supporting the front edges of the shelves. The letters, circulars, books, and other matter can thus be arranged in several series, one above the other, within the adjustable compartments formed by the adjustable partitions and are readily and conveniently referred towhen desired. l

A represents the inclosing case, which is of any desirable form, size, and construction, and is here illustrated as a rectangular upright box composed of top, bottom, rear, end, and front walls a a iz-2.603 a3 a4. The front wall a4 consists of opposite upright doors or covers a5 a5, hinged at a at their outer upright edges. The adjacent edges of the doors are provided with a suitable fastening device a7 for holding the same in their normal closed position. As illustrated, the doors a5 form substantially the entire front wall of the case A, but, if desired, they may form only a portion thereof.

The normal inner face of each of the doors or covers a5 is provided with a movable folding shelf A', consisting of hinged sections A2 A3. Each shelf-section A2 is secured to the corresponding door or cover a5 by hinges A4 at its upper edge, and is secured to the lower edge of the section A3 by hinges A5 at its lower edge, and a flexible strip AG is also employed to cover this hinge A5, so as to prevent papers from catching therein. Each shelf A is provided with a projecting rengaging arm A7, having a hook or handpiece at its front extremity, its body fixed to the intermediate portion of the section A3 and its opposite eX- tremity projecting beyond the lower edge of said section A3 and below the section A2.

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The projecting end of the arm A7 is movable along the lower end of a bar or strip A2 into engagement with a stop A9, consisting of a shoulder projecting from the intermediate portion of said bar r strip.

When the doors or covers a5 are closed, the shelves A are readily folded by lifting on the hook of the arm A7 and project a minimum degree beyond the inner faces of said doors or covers, as clearly seen at Fig. 2. As the doors are opened the free upper edge of the section A3 of either or both of the shelves A/ maybe swung outwardly by means of said hook and is simultaneously elevated, and the arm A7 is moved along the bar or strip A8 until its lower end engages the stop A, whereupon said shelf is in its operative position and firmly and practically supports any articles placed thereupon, as the articles arranged within the case A.

B B' B2 B3 are a series of shelves arranged one above the other within the case A and projecting from its rear wall c2. The shelves B B B2 B3 are preferably of similar construction, and are formed with supporting-shoulders b b at their outer edges. The shoulders b preferably extend lengthwise of said shelves,

- and the shoulders b extend at substantially right angles with the shoulders b. A suitable plate C, channel-shaped in cross-section and provided with a series of transverse slots or perforations c, is preferably secured to the outer edges of the shelves B B B2 B3 and forms a simple and practical means of providing said shelves with the shoulders b b. The bottom wall c' of the case A is preferably provided with an upwardly-extending shoulder B4, having its outer edge also provided with shoulders l) b' similar to the shoulders b b' previously described.

Arranged above the shoulders b b' of the shelves B B B2 B3 and the base-shoulder B4 at one side thereof are a series of supporting-shoulders b2 b3 of substantially the same construction as the shoulders b b. The shoulders b2 extend lengthwise of said shelves and upwardly-extending shoulder, and the shoulders b2 extend at substantially right angles with the shoulders b2. Suitable ribs or bars B5 are provided with the shoulders b2 b3 and are supported on or in proximity to the rear or back wall a2 of the inclosing case. The upper edges of these ribs or bars are provided with plates C' similar to the plates C previously described, and, as clearly seen 'at Fig. 3, the plates C are so arranged upon the ribs or bars B that the shoulders b2 are separated from the adjacent or inner face of the wall 0,2.

D D are normally-fixed adjustable partitions supported within the inclosing case upon the shelves B B' B2 B3 and the upwardly-extending base-shoulder B4. These adjustable partitions are formed with portions d2 for engaging the shoulders b b b2 b3 and form, essentially, a series of adjustable compartments within the inclosing case, and said engaging portions of the partitions are also engaging portions for said compartments. Each of the partitions D preferably consists of a spring bar or strip formed with arms d d, arranged at an angle with each other and having their free ends suitably formed for engagin g the shoulders b Z9 b2 b3.

As illustrated, the outer ends or engaging portions d2 of said arms are inserted between the shoulders b' b3, and their extremities are iiattened and thereby provided with lateral arms or projections d3, which vengage theshoulders b h2. The central portions d4 of the partitions D are preferably formed convex, as clearly seen at Figs. 2 and 3. Partitions of this construction are readily inserted in operative position and are suitably adj usted to the desired width of compartment for most effectively supporting the front edges of the shelves and separating articles inserted between the same. The upper and lower extremities of the partitions D are firmly supported, and said partitions are consequently capable of sustaining considerable strain without liability of lateral movement of either extremity and consequent displacement and disarrangement. Moreover, partitions constructed and supported as described are readily assembled in operative position within the inclosing case and are readily detached and adjusted, when desired, since the rear suportinff-shoulders of the inclosin@ case and p C D the rear engaging portions of the partitions detachably interlocking with said shoulders are elevated above the front shoulders of the inclosing case and the front engaging portions of the partitions, and are therefore directly in sight, which would not be the case were the partitions supported only at their bases, as in my Patent No. 466,969.

The partitions of each of the shelves and of the upwardly-extending base-shoulder are independently adjustable, and consequently liability of waste room within the cabinet is reduced to a minimum, as each compartment may be adjusted to conform to the desired width. The articles within the compartments are readily withdrawn and placed upon the iiling-shelves when arranged in operative position, and ready access and reference thereto are thus greatly facilitated.

The operation of my file-cabinet will be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be evident that the exact detail, construction, and arrangement of its component parts may be more or less varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. v

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters lateut, is-

l. The combination of a substantially upright wall, a transverse rail or bar secured to the upright wall and provided with a series of supporting-shoulders having their inner edges separated from the adjacent face of the upright wall, a substantially horizontal wall IOO IIO

arranged beneath said rail or bar and provided with a series of supporting-shoulders arranged beneath and in advance of the former shoulders and normally-fixed partitions adjustable toward and away from each other, said partitions having engaging portions ar-Y ranged one above and in ad Vance of the other and detachably engaged with the shoulders of said walls, the upper engaging portions of the partitions being provided with shoulders interposed between the inner edges of the shoulders provided upon the rail or bar and the adjacent face of the upright wall, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a file-cabinet, the combination of an inclosing case, an upright door or cover for said case, a movable shelf supported on the door or cover and consisting of a section hinged to the door and a second section hinged to the former section and provided with an arm projecting beyond the hinge for said sections, and a stop upon the door or cover for engaging said arm and holding the shelf in its operative position, substantially as described.

3. In a file-cabinet, the combination of an inclosing case, an upright door or cover for said case, a movable shelf supported on the door or cover and consisting of a section hinged to the door, a second section hinged at its inner edge to the lower edge of the former section and provided with a projecting arm, a stop upon the door or cover for engaging said arm and holding the shelf in its operative position, anda iiexible strip secured to the adjacent portions of the inner faces of said sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, inthe presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 12th day of November, 1894.

lARTHUR J. WELLS. Witnesses:

K. H. THEOBALD, H. E. CHASE.

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